B-
New England Patriots
No fireworks, just a tidy B- for the Patriots.
by Bill ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 5 reaches
It is the swing that defines the weekend: Akheem Mesidor in the 238th overall pick, a good 104 spots before the room expected him. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B-.
Walker at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. The quarterback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. The trenches got the money picks, top to bottom.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 4th pick they get an anchor for the offensive line. A clean fit for the roster.
Jalon Walker in Round 2, Pick 6 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
No edge and no loss on Deone Walker in the Round 3 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They read the board right and Andrew Mukuba was the payoff at the 77th overall pick. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached a country mile for Quincy Riley at No. 104, and the board is aghast. It adds depth where they could use a little.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Phil Mafah this early at pick No. 143. It fills a real need, too.
Shaun Dolac at the 217th pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Elijhah Badger. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Akheem Mesidor in the Round 7 slot, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.